Art Class

24

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                                                                                                 ZOE

One month later..

I SIP THE LAST of my coffee.

Though it was in reality, cream and sugar with a hint of coffee. I set down the mug and my eyes meet with his green ones. His hands hold up his chin as his eyes bore into my own. Neither of us blink and I can't help the small smile that makes its way onto my face.

We are having a staring contest.

I narrow my eyes and concentrate. Cole has a poker face on.

"Boo!" I exclaim with my hands raised in what I think to be a menacing manner.

Cole doesn't even flinch. I sigh and close my eyes, the noise of the café pours into my ears. The café Cole and I have unconsciously claimed as our "go-to" place whenever we were bored or wanted to talk, or you know, just stare at each other for no reason.

"Ha-Ha! You blinked."

My eyes fly open revealing a grinning Cole, his head is tilted as he chuckles lightly. I jokingly slam my fist down on the table in defeat which causes him to laugh more.

I aggressively pout and do my best to make "puppy dog" eyes which is surprisingly harder than I thought. He shakes his head.

"I won no exceptions." He teases.

"But you were supposed to get scared and blink!"

"Zoe, do you think you could really scare me?"

I cross my arms and slump back into my wooden seat, acting like a toddler who got sent to bed early for misbehaving.

"Have I mentioned how much I hate you?" I tell him, his eyes widen.

"Actually, you've never mentioned that ever." He smirks.

"Well, I do."

"No you don't." He disagrees.

"I do." I try my best to not smile. Coke reaches across the small mahogany table and takes my hands in his. He bends his head down to give my open palm a kiss.

He looks back up to me, "Do you really?"

"Okay, you win." I surrender. His fingers play with mine and I watch as he does.

Every so often this would happen. Whether at his house or out in the city he would get this look. The same look that is on his face right now. An absent look, no reply and the small glint of longing that if you looked hard enough could find in his eyes.

I hate when this happens because I know exactly who he is thinking of when he gets this look.

His mother.

It has only been a month and a couple of days since her service and though I know he acknowledges her absence, he almost tip-toes around the topic of his mother altogether.

I can't do anything to make him feel better and I will never be able to fill the void that his mother left and that frustrates me because I wish him never ending happiness. He deserves happiness.

Seeing Cole laugh and smile was what I was used to. Him making me smile whenever I felt the slightest bit of sadness. Now it's he who is sad and I don't know how to fix that.